how to set up monitors

[PeterD]

Can anyone tell me best way to set up monitors and headphones to accomplish several different things? I'm new to home recording, and also on a tight budget.

Here's my set up:
-Instruments and mics into a Yamaha 10/2 mixer
-Mixer stereo outs (balanced 1/4") into my Echo Mia Midi sound card (which also has 2 balanced 1/4" outs).
-Active monitors (to be determined) - routed how?

I'd like to accomplish three things:
1. Use my monitors to listen to mixes from the PC sound card (so plug the monitors into the sound card outs, right?)
2. Use the monitors to play/practice my keyboard w/out turning on the PC (so plug the monitors into the mixer monitor outs, right?)
3. Monitor while recording thru headphones, with the monitors off (but the mixer has only one CR control that controls both monitor outs and headphones out).


Right now, I'm using an old stereo integrated amp, so it's easy...I just have my mixer monitor outs and sound card outs routed into the amp, and use the input selector switch and headphones jack on the amp.
But am planning on getting powered monitors to replace old stereo amp...so, hmmmm....

Thanks in advance for any ideas!

[MrKeysAOO]

You could run the Mia back into a pair of channels on your board and then run your ref monitors out of a pair of aux sends. If you have stereo returns or some semblance of a matrix you might be able to employ that as well.

[PeterD]

Thanks for post. Have two aux sends on the mixer, but channel controls on the mixer (Yamaha MG10/2) are either/or to them..can't send to both.

Also, someone told me that running the sound card back into the mixer wasn't so good...if I forgot to cut those channels when I was recording, I'd get a "feedback loop" and damage my gear. Yes/no?

Don't understand how stereo returns would work or what a matrix is.

[Iplayinaband]

Does the soundcard have D/A? I have personally never seen anyone plug their monitors into their soundcard..I'm not even sure how this would be done.

You'll need to buy a D/A converter to monitor your mixes(Benchmark DAC1, Apogee Mini-DAC, Presonus Central Station for a cheaper solution)

[dpd]

Why would you want to listen to your mixes via a sound card?

[PeterD]

I guess "sound card" is the wrong term? What I have is an Echo Mia Midi digital audio PCI card. So yes, it has D/A converters. Info on it is here: http://www.echoaudio.com/Products/PCI/MiaMIDI/index.php

[JeffBarnett]

You could try getting something like this:
http://www.sweetwater.com/ccontrol/
or this:
http://www.sweetwater.com/LS3/

to select between the outputs of your mixer and the outputs of your Mia. That would avoid the possibility of any feedback loops (which is a valid concern, btw).

[PeterD]

OK, thanks Jeff. Thought I get could get by w/out buying more gear, but guess not. :-(